THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS, DISTRIBUTION MAPS AND INFORMATION
This site covers Snakes and Lizards, Crocodiles and Turtles, including Colubrid snakes, Pythons, Elapids (called Cobras or Coral Snakes in some countries), Sea Snakes, File Snakes, Blind (or Worm) Snakes, Sea Turtles, Freshwater Turtles (or Tortoises) Dragon Lizards (Agamas), Gecko's, Legless Lizards, Monitor Lizards (often called Goanna's in Australia), Skinks and Crocodilia.

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	Colubrids & Mud Snakes	Pythons	Elapid Snakes	Sea Snakes	File Snakes	Blind Snakes

Turtles Tortoises	Dragons Agamas	Geckos	Legless Lizards	Monitor Lizards	Skinks	Crocodiles

A Listing of Australian Turtles,Tortoises and Sliders

ORDER: Testudines

FRESHWATER TURTLES
Family:Cheluidae
* Indicates recent updates or new page.

NOTE THAT I AM CURRENTLY UPDATING THIS PAGE -

PLEASE USE THIS PAGE WITH CARE - THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THIS PAGE AND LINKS FROM THIS PAGE SOON ( 2009)

Common Name (Internal Links)	Scientific Name (External Links)	Distribution (Distribution key and map at bottom of page)
*Sandstone Long-necked Turtle	Chelodina burrungandjii (=walloyarrina)	NT, WA
*Cann's Long-necked Turtle	Chelodina canni (was novaeguineae canni)	NT, Qld
Broad-Shelled River Turtle	Chelodina expansa	NSW, Qld, SA, Vic
*Kutchling's Long-necked Turtle (see Northern Snake-Necked Turtle )	Chelodina kutchlingi (no longer valid = synonymised with Chelodina oblonga)	WA
Eastern Snake-necked Turtle or Common Long-necked Tortoise	*Chelodina longicollis	NSW, ACT, Qld, SA, Vic (Tas - introduced)
*Oblong Turtle or Narrow-breasted Snake-necked Turtle	Chelodina colliei (previously known as oblonga)	WA
*Northern Snake-Necked Turtle or Indonesian Snake-necked Turtle	Chelodina oblonga (previously known as C. rugosa) (Also note C. oblonga was previously used for C. colliei )	NT, Qld, WA (New Guinea, Indonesia and Pitcairn?)
Flat-Shelled Turtle	*Chelodina steindachneri	WA
New Guinea Long-necked Turtle	Chelodina novaeguineae	NT, Qld
Southern Snapping Turtle or White-throated Snapping Turtle	Elseya albagula	Qld
Northern Snapping Turtle	Elseya dentata (=jukesi)	NT, Qld, WA
Yellow-headed Snapping Turtle	Elseya irwini (=stirlingi)	Qld
Gulf Snapping Turtle	Elseya lavarackorum	NT, Qld
Mary River Turtle	Elusor macrurus	Qld
*Cooper Creek Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura emmotti (was Emydura macquarii emmotti )	SA, Qld (Lake Eyre Basin)
*Hunter River Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura gunabarra (was Emydura macquarii gunabarra)	NSW (Hunter River)
*Macquarie Turtle or Common Short-necked Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura macquarii	NSW, ACT, SA, Vic
*Krefft's River Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura krefftii krefftii (was Emydura macquarii krefftii)	( Central coastal Qld)
*Brisbane Short-necked Turtle or Brisbane River Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura krefftii signata (was Emydura macquarii signata)	Qld (SE Qld ), NE NSW?
*Krefft's River Turtle Unnamed Species (Status Uncertain)	Emydura krefftii sp	( NE Qld)
*Fraser Island Short-neck Turtle (Status Uncertain)	Emydura krefftii nigra (was Emydura macquarii nigra)	Qld (Fraser Island)
Jardine River Turtle or Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle	Emydura subglobosa subglobosa	Qld, New Guinea
Worrell's Short-Necked Turtle	Emydura subglobosa worrelli	NT, Qld
Northern Yellow-faced Turtle	Emydura tanybaraga	NT, Qld
Northern Red-faced Turtle and North-West Red-Faced Turtle	Emydura victoriae (= Emydura australis)	NT, WA
*Namoi River Snapping Turtle or Bell's Turtle	Myuchelys (was Wollumbinia & Elseya) bellii	NSW
*Bellinger River Snapping Turtle or Georges' Turtle	Myuchelys (was Wollumbinia & Elseya) georgesi	NSW
*Saw-Shelled Turtle	Myuchelys Wollumbinia (was Elseya) latisternum (=dorsii)	NSW, NT, Qld
*Manning River Helmeted Turtle or Purvis' Turtle	Flaviemys (was Myuchelys, Wollumbinia & Elseya) purvisi	(Manning River area) NSW
Western Swamp Turtle	Pseudemydura umbrina	WA
Fitzroy River Turtle	Rheodytes leukops	Qld

PIG NOSED TURTLES
Family:Carettochelydidae

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution (Distribution key and map at bottom of page)
Pig Nosed or Pitted-Shelled Turtle	Carettochelys insculpta	NT, (New Guinea)

SEA TURTLES (Marine)
Family: Cheloniidae

Note that although Sea Turtles may stray into or spend time in cooler water, the females must return to warmer climates to lay their eggs.

Common Name

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta

(All States)

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas japonica

(All States)

Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata bissa

(NSW, NT, Qld, Tas, Vic)

Pacific Ridley Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

(NT, Qld?, WA, Vic, SA?)

Flatback Turtle

Chelonia depressa

(NSW, NT, Qld, WA)

Leathery or Luth Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

(All States)

LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE (Marine)
Family: Dermochelyidae

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution (Distribution key and map at bottom of page)
Leathery or Luth Turtle	Dermochelys coriacea	(All States)

Sliders (INTRODUCED)
Family:Emydidae

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

* Red-eared Slider - INTRODUCED

Trachemys scripta elegans

ACT?, NSW, Qld (From USA, introduced into many countries)

* Western Pond Turtle - INTRODUCED

Actinemys (was Clemmys) marmorata

NSW (Sydney Area) (From USA)

Pond & River Turtles (INTRODUCED)
Family:Geoemydidae

Common Name
(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses) (External Links)

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle - INTRODUCED - protected by the CITES and IUCN

Mauremys sinensis*

Toowomba area Qld (native to South East Asia) - (this species may not be breeding in the wild in Australia)

DISTRIBUTION KEY

Click on the abbreviation below to see a map of the area

CI = Christmas Island	CKI = Cocos (Keeling) Island	NSW = New South Wales
NT = Northern Territory	Qld = Queensland	SA = South Australia
Tas = Tasmania	Vic = Victoria	WA = Western Australia
NI = Norfolk Island	LHI = Lord Howe Island	ACT = Australian Capital Territory (Canberra region only - excludes Jervis Bay Territory)

Australia map

Click here for more information about Australian Turtles

Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia 7th Edition.jpg

A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 5th edition Edition

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Common Name	Scientific Name (Subgenus in parentheses)	Distribution (Distribution key and map at bottom of page)
Loggerhead Turtle	Caretta caretta	(All States)
Green Turtle	Chelonia mydas japonica	(All States)
Hawksbill Turtle	Eretmochelys imbricata bissa	(NSW, NT, Qld, Tas, Vic)
Pacific Ridley Turtle	Lepidochelys olivacea	(NT, Qld?, WA, Vic, SA?)
Flatback Turtle	Chelonia depressa	(NSW, NT, Qld, WA)
Leathery or Luth Turtle	Dermochelys coriacea	(All States)

Common Name (Internal Links)	Scientific Name (Subgenus in parentheses) (External Links)	Distribution (Distribution key and map at bottom of page)
*Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle - INTRODUCED - protected by the CITES and IUCN	Mauremys sinensis	Toowomba area Qld (native to South East Asia) - (this species may not be breeding in the wild in Australia)

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE

A Listing of Australian Turtles,Tortoises and Sliders ORDER: Testudines

FRESHWATER TURTLES Family:Cheluidae * Indicates recent updates or new page.

NOTE THAT I AM CURRENTLY UPDATING THIS PAGE - PLEASE USE THIS PAGE WITH CARE - THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THIS PAGE AND LINKS FROM THIS PAGE SOON ( 2009)

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name (External Links)

Distribution

*Sandstone Long-necked Turtle

Chelodina burrungandjii (=walloyarrina)

NT, WA

*Cann's Long-necked Turtle

NT, Qld

Chelodina expansa

NSW, Qld, SA, Vic

*Kutchling's Long-necked Turtle (see Northern Snake-Necked Turtle )

Chelodina kutchlingi (no longer valid = synonymised with Chelodina oblonga)

WA

*Chelodina longicollis

NSW, ACT, Qld, SA, Vic (Tas - introduced)

Chelodina colliei (previously known as oblonga)

WA

Chelodina oblonga (previously known as C. rugosa) (Also note C. oblonga was previously used for C. colliei )

NT, Qld, WA (New Guinea, Indonesia and Pitcairn?)

*Chelodina steindachneri

WA

New Guinea Long-necked Turtle

NT, Qld

Southern Snapping Turtle or White-throated Snapping Turtle

Qld

Elseya dentata (=jukesi)

NT, Qld, WA

Yellow-headed Snapping Turtle

Qld

Gulf Snapping Turtle

NT, Qld

Elusor macrurus

Qld

*Cooper Creek Turtle (Status Uncertain)

Emydura emmotti (was Emydura macquarii emmotti )

SA, Qld (Lake Eyre Basin)

*Hunter River Turtle (Status Uncertain)

NSW (Hunter River)

*Macquarie Turtle or Common Short-necked Turtle (Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii

NSW, ACT, SA, Vic

*Krefft's River Turtle (Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii krefftii (was Emydura macquarii krefftii)

( Central coastal Qld)

*Brisbane Short-necked Turtle or Brisbane River Turtle (Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii signata (was Emydura macquarii signata)

Qld (SE Qld ), NE NSW?

*Krefft's River Turtle Unnamed Species (Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii sp

( NE Qld)

*Fraser Island Short-neck Turtle (Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii nigra (was Emydura macquarii nigra)

Qld (Fraser Island)

Emydura subglobosa subglobosa

Qld, New Guinea

Emydura subglobosa worrelli

NT, Qld

Northern Yellow-faced Turtle

NT, Qld

Emydura victoriae (= Emydura australis)

NT, WA

*Namoi River Snapping Turtle or Bell's Turtle

NSW

*Bellinger River Snapping Turtle or Georges' Turtle

NSW

Myuchelys Wollumbinia (was Elseya) latisternum (=dorsii)

NSW, NT, Qld

*Manning River Helmeted Turtle or Purvis' Turtle

(Manning River area) NSW

Pseudemydura umbrina

WA

Rheodytes leukops

Qld

Common Name

Scientific Name

A Listing of Australian Turtles,Tortoises and Sliders

ORDER: Testudines

FRESHWATER TURTLES
Family:Cheluidae
* Indicates recent updates or new page.

NOTE THAT I AM CURRENTLY UPDATING THIS PAGE -

PLEASE USE THIS PAGE WITH CARE - THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THIS PAGE AND LINKS FROM THIS PAGE SOON ( 2009)

Scientific Name
(External Links)

*Cooper Creek Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura emmotti
(was Emydura macquarii emmotti )

*Hunter River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

*Macquarie Turtle or Common Short-necked Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

*Krefft's River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii krefftii
(was Emydura macquarii krefftii)

*Brisbane Short-necked Turtle or Brisbane River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii signata
(was Emydura macquarii signata)

*Krefft's River Turtle
Unnamed Species
(Status Uncertain)

*Fraser Island Short-neck Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura krefftii nigra
(was Emydura macquarii nigra)

Myuchelys Wollumbinia
(was Elseya) latisternum (=dorsii)

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

SEA TURTLES (Marine)
Family: Cheloniidae

Note that although Sea Turtles may stray into or spend time in cooler water, the females must return to warmer climates to lay their eggs.

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)